Lubricating device



March 1 1927' w. F. HUNDEMER LUBRICATING DEVICE Filed Feb .8, 1926 o r a3 4 29 BY" q' INVENTOR. \N. F HUNDEMER.'

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 1, 1927.

nNrrEn STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER F. HUNDEMER, OI .A'LAMETDA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO GA'II. GIlNLUBBI- CATING conronarron, or OAKLAND,

LUBRIOATING DEVICE.

EFORNIA.

Application filed February The present invention relates to improvementsin lubricating'devices and has particular reference to a hand operatedgrease. gun principally used for lubricating motor vehicles and thelike. The present invention particularly proposes, to introduce certainimprovements in the grease gun described and claimed in the B. S. NelsonPatent, Number 1,377,023, of May 3, 1921, Wvhich latter grease guncomprises in its principal features a cylinder a plunger reciprocabletherein, a pistol V rip for. operating the plunger and a cylin ricalgrease receptacle extending radially from the side of the cylinder andcommunicating therewith through a port. It is proposed in the presentinven; tion to provide certain improvements in the Nelson device such,as will facilitate the operation ot the same, as will appear from thedescription following hereinafter.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing in which:

Figure 1 shows a vertical section through my lubricating device. w

Figure 2 is a similar section with a piston shown in a difi'erentposition and a portion shown in side elevation, and

Figure 3 a detail view illustrating the ports between the cylinder andthe lubricant receptacle.

ile l have shown only the preferred form of the invention I wish to haveit understood that various changes or modifications may be made withinthe sec e oft-he claims hereto attached without eparting from the spiritof the invention.

In its preferred form my lubricating de-. vice comprises a cylinder 1having a plun er 2 reciprocating therein and a lever 3 PIV- oted at theend of the plunger as at 4: and connected to a link 6 as shown at 7,which latter is pivoted to the cylinder housing as shown at 8so that theplunger may be, freely moved back and forth by operatingthrou h thelever 3. A gripping handle 9 extends from the cylinder in operativerelation to the free end of the lever 3 so that the fingersof a hand maybeengaged with the handle while the palm of the hand engages .the lever.A spring 10 tends to force the plunger outwardly.

A lubricant receptacle or co tainer 11 preferably cylindrical in 'form sadapted CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALI- 8, 1926. Serial No. 86,792.

for insertion into a ring formed integral with the cylinder in such amanner thatthe container extends radiall therefrom. A suitable washer 13may e interposed between the container and the cylinder. The outer endof the container is closed by means of a cap 14 and a rod 16 extendsaxially through the container and is threaded .at its inner end to bereceived in a threaded hub 17 while the head 18 rests on the cap 14. Therod is dimensioned so as to firmly bear on the cap for holding thecontainer in place before the thread reaches the end of its travel.

A sleeve 19 is slidable on the rod 16 and has a piston 21 securedthereon between. a shoulder 22 and a nut 23, the piston preferablyconsisting of two opposed cup washers 24, two discs 26 reinforcing thefiat faces thereof and an. element 27 adapted to receive one end of aspring 28 encircling the rod 16. The latter spring is secured at itsother end to a transverse plate 29 supported in the container in spacedrelation to the cap, the normal tendency of the spring heing to forcethe piston away from the said plate. A nut 31 limits the inward movementof the sleeve on the rod. When the sleeve is drawn inwardly loy means ofthe piston rod after the latter has been disengaged from the hub 17 theouter end of the sleeve passes through a perforation 33 in the plate 29and is locked against inward motion by means of a spring latch 34 whichautomatically engages with a groove 36 in the sleeve. The sleeve may befreed of the latch by op-' erating a handle 37 extending through a slotin the cap 14. I

Communication-between the bore of the c linder 1 and the container 11 isestablished by means of two ports 38 which are offset from the centerline of the cylinder and arranged to communicate in part with recesses39 in the cylinder wall. This man net of arrangin the ports serves thepurpose of preventing the grease from going past the bearing for theplunger 2 on the return stroke of the plunger, the recesses scrapingoff-any grease" or lubricant that may be carried by the plunger on itsreturn stroke and the ports guide the lubricant back into the container.7

The advent of our improvements will be readily unfitood from theforegoing description. The rod 16 extends through the entire-containerand serves'tlie purpose of fastening the container'to the cylinder 1. Toremove the container the piston rod 16 is revolved until-it clears thehub 17 whereupon the entire container can be readily removed. The innerend ofthe container may then be inserted in a body of grease and the rod16 pulled outwardly by means of the handle 18 which causes the piston totravel outwardly to suck grease into the container. When the rod reachesthe end of its travel the sleeve 19 projects through the perforation 33of the plate 29 and is engaged by for maintaining the vacuum caused inthe cylinder 1 by withdrawal of the plunger 2.

As the plunger reciprocates due to mampulation of the lever 3 a vacuumis created in the cylinder on the return stroke and grease sucked intothe cylinder as soon as the plunger 2 passes the ports 38. On thedownward stroke this grease is forced through the open end of thecylinder into thebearing 39 or whatever the grease gun may be attachedto. Any grease that may become lodged at the outside of the plunger isscraped into the recesses 39 and returned tokthe reservoir durin thereturn stroke to be drawn upon at the end' of the latter stroke.

During the filling of the container 11 air pockets are apt to form inthe grease and to allow the operator to release the air I provide asmall opening 40 in the ring 12 hext to the base thereof. This hole isnor mally covered by the container. 11 but may be uncovered by slightlyturning the con-' tainer, which causes the latter to recede. When theoperator notices that there is an air pocket, he merely turns thecontainer until the hole 40 is uncovered and thereupon returns thecontainer to its original position.

I claim V 1. A lubricating device of the character described comprisinga cylinder having a plunger reciprocable therein, a pistol grip foroperating the plunger, a container suspended from the cylinder andeommunicat- 2. A cylindrical greasecontainer closed atone end havingmeans for withdrawing grease therefrom associated with the other end,anaxial rod slidable in the container having a piston slidable relativethereto, spring means urgin the piston forward, means associated wit thepiston and opera able by the rod allowing the iston to be retracted tothe rear end of t e'container and meansfor locking the saidmeans in theretracted position allowing the rod to be plunged forward.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 in which the latter means comprise asleeve slidable on the rod having the piston fixed thereto, a.

head on thepiston engaging the sleeve when the piston is drawn outwardlyand a catch within the container snapping into a groove in the sleevewhen the latter is withdrawn to its most rearward position.

4. In a lubricating device of the character dtscribed, a cylinder, 2.plunger reciprocable therein, means for operating the plunger, a

cylindrical container extending radially from the cylinder, acap for thecontainer, a rod having a head at one end bearing on the cap and beingthreaded at the other end for engagement with the cylinder for holdingthe container in place, a sleeve slidable on the rod having a pistonfixed thereon, spring means tending to force the piston toward thecylinder, a transverse plate inside the container perforated to allow aportion of the sleeve to pass therethrough and a latch automaticallyengaging with said sleeve for lockin the same in position against theaction 0 the spring.

5. In a lubricating device of the character described, a grease gun anda transverse booster pump threaded to the discharge end. thereof, one ofthe elements being provided with a small hole at the juncture adapted'to be normally covered by the. other element but to be cleared forventing the gun when the element latter is partly unscrewed. Intestimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WALTER F. HUNDEMEB.

